In what is described as a first in the country, eight liones, four of them male and the other four female, have contracted Covid-19. These are Asiatic lions from Nehru Zoological Park in 'mana' Hyderabad.

After the lions started showing coronavirus symptoms last week, they were tested. Experts at the CCMB have reportedly confirmed their covid status orally.

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There are reports of coronavirus outbreaks happening among zoo animals and other animals since last June or so. But they have been limited.

In June last, Nature wrote that pet cats in Hong Kong, tigers in a New York City zoo and mink on farms in the Netherlands had tested positive. Extensive sampling of pets, livestock and wildlife was called for.

Russia recently became the first country to produce vaccines for animals.